1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to decorative vehicle wheels and more particularly to a system for providing a stock vehicle wheel with a number of available permanent finishes.
2. Related History
Although wheel covers have continued to play a significant role with respect to providing a pleasant and stylized appearance to vehicle wheels in both new car and aftermarket applications, there has been a trend in new car sales to equip vehicles with cast metal, such as aluminum, stylized vehicle wheels. Such trend has increased to the extent that stylized cast metal wheels have become standard equipment not only on luxury cars but, in addition, on moderately priced vehicles.
Dynamic wheel balancing has been easier to achieve and maintain with cast metal wheels for the reason that compensation was not required for the additional weight of a wheel cover. Further, conventional wheel covers were subject to inadvertent dislodgement and consequent loss and, in addition, to loss by theft or vandalism.
While there has been a decrease in the number of available vehicle models, individual customer preferences and the availability of options has been a consideration in new vehicle marketing and sales promotion. Unfortunately, when cast metal wheels were standard or optional equipment with a specific model vehicle, only one surface treatment for the wheel was available. Such limitation was a consequence of the costs involved in acquiring and maintaining inventories of numerous wheels for a particular vehicle model, each with the same dimensions and structure but with different surface treatments.